Senior Indian cricketer Ajinkya Rahane is set to play for English county side Leicestershire in division two after completing his two-match assignment with the Indian team against the West Indies. Rahane, a former captain of the Indian team, recently made a successful comeback during the World Test Championship final against Australia.

Rahane had signed a deal with Leicestershire in January, which was supposed to see him play eight first-class games and the entire Royal London Cup, a domestic 50-over competition, between June and September. However, due to his return to the Indian Test team and subsequent commitments, he couldn't join Leicestershire immediately after the conclusion of the Indian Premier League (IPL) with the Chennai Super Kings.

According to a source from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Rahane is expected to fly directly to England after the two Tests in the West Indies, which are scheduled to end on July 24. He will then join Leicestershire for the remainder of the season, participating in the Royal London Cup in August and potentially featuring in four County games in September. As Rahane is unlikely to be part of India's white-ball plans, this county stint will provide him with valuable red-ball game time.

This will be Rahane's second county cricket experience, as he previously represented Hampshire during the 2019 season when he was dropped from the Indian team for the 50-over World Cup. Rahane, who recently scored 89 runs in the Indian first innings during the WTC final, has now surpassed 5,000 runs in Test cricket, achieving this milestone in 83 matches.

While many top Indian players will shift their focus to 50-over cricket, Rahane's extended red-ball game time in September will be valuable preparation for him before he returns to India for the upcoming domestic season. Following the domestic season, Rahane is also expected to be part of the Indian team's tour of South Africa in December.